Universal joint



A. C. GARRECHT UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed April 27, 192? py M4227 the ,sleeves'in correct position, as required- Patented Sept. 15, 1925 nne-no.1 eeeqencrrr, or sournnoc vpssoox, new JERSEY, esslenonrow ns'rnnn eme r at Assamese- 9.

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-Zaall wh m-z'tmag concern; I I I Be it known thatI, ARTHUR C. GARRECHT, a citizen of the United 1 States, residing at South Boundbrook, in the county of Somerset, \State of=NeW Jerseyy'have invented certain new and useful Improvementsinllniversal Joints, of which the following is a full, c-leargconcise, and exact description. This invention relates to improvements in universal joints and -n cre partic ularly to couplings which are adapted 'to efl ect the proper functioning of misaligned shafts.

'The object of-tliis invention is-toproduce a'cheap and reliable coupling,-the{integral arts of which are "interchangeable and readily replaced, and =by virtue of-the use pzf which the operation of two misaligned shafts may be effected; I

The invention, which is particularly adapted to couple associated drives used in machine {switching systems and which provides fora substantial-1y stable -;assembly, consists essentially of. alength of shaft with a coupling sleeve mounted on each end and secured thereto by means of set screws. The ends of the shaft are provided with flats ofsuitable'lengths to allow forsetting by the units to be connected.- The coupling sleeve is provided witl1 diametrically opposed fslots to acconnnodate a setof -slid ing blocks which are partially spherical in shape. Cylindrical apertures in the blocks.

accommodate the tip of a shouldered pin,

' the main portion of which passes through one of the drives to be coupled. By means of the sliding blocks and their spherical bearing surfaces, a drive that is coupled to a sleeve has freedom of motion in one plane, whereas the cylindrical body of the pin associated with the blocks allows motion in a plane perpendicular to the first said plane, so that the combination of the two will produce the same effect as the well known universal joint.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates this invention, Fig. 1 is'a view, partly in section, of the assembled coupling. Fig. 2 is a transverse section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section along the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig.

4 shows in part a sectional view of a coupling sleeve with a section of a drive cou plcd there o F g 5 is a p pective Qfthe coupling withitsintegral parts in position f or'fas'se mblyl 5' imila'r figures refer 'to similar" parts throughout the "several views;

Coupling sleeves 22 are shown mounted on a length of shaft 1 andheld in position by set s'cre ws 3. The "she-e 1 is provided witha series ofpflats l 'on' each'end to :pro-

videmeans'for regulating lthje 'positio n Iof the I sleeves 2 t'herepn' land w provide bear ingsurfaces for the retaining screws-3;

Diamet'rical-lvopposed 'slfots'b are located on one end ofeacli sleeve '2 and are adapted to accommodate the rectangular shouldered portions of sliding blocks {6. "1A cylindrical aperture 8 is centrally located in block -6 to accommodate the extending portion of pin-"7. The pin -7 is'so constructed as to be of smallerdiameter at each end than at the Q central 4 portion 1 thereof. A drive 9 to be'cou-pledisfprovided with -fia-t hearing sur faces -10 with which onesi'de-of block 6 makes contact when the coupling is effected. A cylindrical -hol e 11, locatedon one end of the drive-9,'receives the 'm'ainbody portion of pin- 7, which permits relative rotation of shaft' about-the pin-7.;Block 6 I is provided with shouldered portions 12 having convex bearing surfaces. When assembled, these shouldered 7 portions bear on theinner surface of sleeve 2 and permit relative movement ofshaft 9 inaplane parallel to the axis of pin 7.

The following description of how the coupling is assembled will give a clear understanding of'the invention and will point out the relative positions of the respective parts and functions thereof.

Assuming drives 9 and 9 are to be coupled, the pin 7 is inserted in the cylindrical hole 11 located at the end of drive 9, as shown in Fig. 5. Sliding blocks 6 are placed on pin 7, the ends of said pin extending into the cylindrical holes 8 of-blocks 6. The sleeve 2 is now slipped over the end of shaft 9, the sides of slots 5 making sliding contact'with the surfaces 'of the shouldered portions of blocks 6. The same series of operating position. Shaft 1 is provided with undercuts or clearances 13 which permit the sleeves 2 to be moved back on shaft 1 thereby permitting the removal of the coupling Without disturbing the positions of drives 9 and 9.

It is to be noted that the parts which complete this coupling are interchangeable and reversible. The blocks 6 may be positioned in either sleeve and in either slot thereof without affecting the operation of the device, whereas the pins 7 may be inserted in any drive to be coupled, and will function properly with either of the sleeves 2, while the sleeves 2 will operate effectively on either end of shaft 1.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a coupling, driving and driven members, a coupling sleeve removably mounted on one of said members, said sleeve provided with a set of lateral guides, and blocks movably mounted on one end of the other member adapted to engage the guides and the interior surface of the sleeve for connecting said driving and driven members to allow a universal movement of said driven member relative to said driving member.

2. In a coupling, driving and driven members, a cylindrical sleeve provided with slots and mounted on one of said members, means to adjust the position of said sleeve on said member, a pin mounted in a hole in the other member and projecting from both ends of said hole, and means movably mounted on the projecting portions of said pin and engaging the slots and the interior surface of said sleeve to permit a universal movement of said driven member relative to said driving member.

3. In a coupling, driving and driven members, a sleeve therefor provided with a series of slots, projections from one of said members, and a block removably mounted driven member and provided with diametrically opposed lateral slots, a cylindrical pin passing through the end of said driven member and projecting therefrom, and means mounted on the projecting ends of said pin comprising rectangular and convex bearing surfaces, the first of said surfaces engaging the sides of said slots and the other of said surfaces engaging the inner surface of said sleeve.

5. A universal joint comprising a cylindrical sleeve provided with elongated slots, a drive to be coupled thereto, and a plurality of interchangeable members rotatably mounted on said drive and engaging the slots and the interior surface of said sleeve.

6. A universal joint comprising acou pling member having bearing surfaces comprising parallel flat surfaces and surfaces of revolution, the latter surfaces having their axes substantially at right angles to each other, and a second coupling member adapted to engage both kinds of surfaces on said first coupling member.

7 A coupling comprising a shaft, a sleeve mounted at each end of said shaft, said sleeves provided with slots, rotatable drives having blocks mounted thereon, the blocks on each drive engaging the slots and the in terior surface of a sleeve to form a universal joint, and means for coupling said sleeves to said shaft so that said shaft and sleeves may be disassociated from said drives and each other Without disturbing the relative positions of the drive.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 11y name this 21st day of April A. D., 1922.

ARTHUR C. GARRECHT. 

